10 Ways Sugar Is Sneaking Into Your Diet

When it comes to managing diabetes, it’s imperative to control what you eat. That can be hard to do if your food contains a few unexpected ingredients like sugar. While you know candy, pastries, and soda have high sugar content, there are a few other things you may eat all the time that are throwing your blood sugar level out of whack.

1. White Bread

When making white bread, manufacturers strip out all the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. To make matters worse, they usually add sugar to boost the flavor. The end result is empty calories that cause your blood sugar levels to spike. You’re much better off with whole wheat or whole grain bread.

2. Ketchup And Marinara Sauce

Tomatoes are naturally tangy so manufacturers usually add sugar to balance the taste and acidity of these products. It’s a good idea to look for those that have less than a gram of sugar per serving or say ‘no added sugar’ on the label. You can also substitute tomato paste for ketchup in recipes.

3. Granola

Granola is typically considered healthy, but in many cases, it’s being held together by sugary ingredients like molasses, honey, and maple syrup. When shopping for granola, look for those that have low sugar content instead.

4. Peanut Butter

While peanut butter should be a great source of protein, fiber, and monounsaturated fats, a lot of them contain added sugar or fillers. To avoid that, choose brands that contain roasted peanuts and sea salt as the only ingredients. It’s also better to go for the full-fat varieties.

5. Yogurt

If you’re reaching for flavored yogurt with your breakfast, then you’ve been eating a lot of added sugars too. To get the same effect without the sneaky sugar, add flavors like vanilla or almond to plain yogurt. Microwaved fruit or nut butter are good options too.

6. Breakfast Cereals

Many cereals contain added sugars but it’s not always obvious. You can get a good picture of what you’re dealing with by reading the nutrition labels, though. To play it safe, stick with plain oatmeal as the instant kind usually has added sugar as well. You can add flavor to unsweetened cereal with fruits and spices at home.

7. Dried Fruit

It might still be fruit but this snack can have a significant amount of added sugar. The small suggested serving sizes also make it easy to indulge and spike your blood sugar levels. It’s safer to eat fresh fruits where you can.